davis



1. McGRl-:w vel 1. P'. DAVIS;

Tobacco-Presses.

No.\50,068, Patented April 21,1874;

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UNrrnn STM-ns PATENT OFFICE.,

JOHN MCGREW AND JESSE P. DAVIS, OF RAVENSWOOD, WEST VIRGINIA; SAIDMCGREW ASSIGNOR TO SAID DAVIS, AND SAID DAVIS ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HISRIGHT TO ROBERT P. STEED, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN TO'BCCrPRESSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. ll, dated April 21,1874 application iiled March 28, 1873.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN MGGREW and JESSE P. DAVIS, of Ravenswood, inthe county of Jackson and State of fest Virginia, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Tobacco-Presses; and we do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to accompanying drawing, forming a part of thisspecification, in which- Figure l is a front elevation, and Fig. L avertical section.

Our invention relates to machines for pressing tobacco; and it consistsin providing the lower end of the plunger-shaft with a tapering'dovetailed groove, and in combining therewith a removable plunger-blockhaving a tapering dovetailed projection, which is tted into the groovein the plunger-shaft, and held by means of the taper er wedge form ofthe parts.

By thus constructing' the parts, the plungerblock is held to theplunger-shaft without screws or other devices, and the block can bereadily removed from the shaft whenever it is v desired to insert a newor a different-sized block.

In the drawing, A represents a base-plate, and A A uprights, in which ashaft, B, having the cam b and spur-wheel b, is journaled. O is a spurdrive-wheel, placed on a shaft, c, that has a pinion, c', meshing withspur-wheel b. D is a pinion, placed on a shaft, d, and gearing with thespur-wheel O. E is a yokestrap, reciprocated by cam b, and pivoted to apress plunger-stock, F, made of solid metal or other material. G G areguides to the stock of plunger, rigidly attached to a crossbar, H, andfastened to and between the uprghts A A. In the. lower end of stock F isformed a dovetailed groove, f, which gradually decreases in width fromone end to the other, so that the Correspondingly-shaped tongue k of theplunger K can be readily slipped thereinto and rigidly held.

By having plungers of dierent magnitude, but with the same size oftongue, one plungerstock and operative mechanism will answer for anyldesired number and variety of pressplungers.

L is the removable press-box, which may be slided in the groove of abase-plate, M, and against a stop, so as to bring it into properposition under the plunger.

The plunger K and removable press-box L will correspond in theirdimensions to the packing-box in which the pressed tobacco is to beplaced, while the latter will be full, half, or quarter boxes, or indeedof any desired size or dimensions.

The press-box is placed under the plunger upon the base-plate M, and asmuch tobacco pressed thereinto'as is preferred. This is then withdrawn,and immediately thereafter another box is pushed into position, whilethe tobacco which has been pressed into the first is forced into thepacking-box.

If packing-boxes of different sizes-are to be filled, it is onlynecessary to remove plunger by slipping it out of the groove of stock,and substituting the size required. A suitable press-box is thenselected, and the machine is ready to prepare the tobacco for anotherclass of boxes.

As soon as the plunger K has done its duty, a workman turns a crank-armon the shaft c, and, by means of the large spur-wheel on that shaft,connecting through intermediate mechanism with the plunger, lifts thelatter very rapidly. lVhen, however, he is exercising his power topress, and desires to gainpower at the expense of time, he turns theshaft l that drives by means of the small lantern wheel or pinion D.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, isn

rlhe combination, in a tobacco-press, of the plunger shaft F, withtapering dovetailed groove f in its end, with the removableplunger-block K, with the tapering dovetailed projection k on its top,the parts being constructed and operating substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

JOHN MCGREV. JESSE P. DAVIS.

Vitnesses:

IRA W. BooroN, JNo. C. VANDEN.

